


make me weak in the knees (but teach my feet to fly)

by mygreatwidesomewhere



Series: 23 Days of Wonder [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Established Relationship, M/M, Na Jaemin is Whipped, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Witch! Donghyuck, and context that would prob be expanded on in the main story once i post that, prince! Jaemin, with a sprinkle of introspection and angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28066839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mygreatwidesomewhere/pseuds/mygreatwidesomewhere
Summary: Amidst tons of bickering and cheesiness, Donghyuck has a magical surprise in store for Jaemin.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Na Jaemin
Series: 23 Days of Wonder [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055987
Comments: 11
Kudos: 25





	make me weak in the knees (but teach my feet to fly)

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a short scene based on a wip that I haven’t completed yet but I couldn’t help but write this when i saw the 23 Days of Wonder thing hahahahaha (this is supposed to be for the ice-skating day but I’m wondering if it’s even counted at this point because err... you’ll see). Anyways, I made it so that it could be read as a standalone so I hope you enjoy it!

“Care to tell me where you’re taking me?”

“Then it won’t be a surprise anymore! It’s finally Christmas so relax and be patient, will you?” Jaemin feels Donghyuck’s warm breath brush against his nape as a huff escapes him. Even with his vision obscured by Donghyuck’s temporary blinding spell, he can already tell that a pout has formed on his boyfriend’s face. He’d try to reach behind and kiss it off him if only he wasn’t very aware of the high probability of him face-planting onto the ground instead, courtesy of an already very annoyed Donghyuck. The witch might have fun throwing everyone else into disarray but Jaemin knows well that nothing good comes out of disrupting any plans Donghyuck has laid out for himself, he’s simply not one to be stopped when he has his eyes on the prize.

“Fine. But won’t you hold my hand at least?” He tries his luck and hopes Donghyuck feels generous enough to give him what he wants if he asks cutely enough, the pitch of his voice rising higher and his lips jutting out.

“Please, I can be cuter than that in my sleep,” Donghyuck scoffs and Jaemin doesn’t need to be able to see him to know that he’s rolling his eyes. “Besides, no amount of aegyo is going to make me hold your sweaty hand right now.”

An indignant sound makes its way up Jaemin's throat. Donghyuck is right, Jaemin knows best how hot the temperatures rise around here (which can be pretty fucking high considering it’s just hot all year round) and he’s no stranger to clammy skin and shirts sticking uncomfortably to his body. It’s gross really but that doesn’t mean he’s any less insulted. “Excuse  _ you _ , thousands of people all over the country would offer up their firstborn child just to hold my sweaty hand.” 

“Well, your royal highness, I guess it’s too bad you’d choose me over the entire country.” 

It’s supposed to be a light-hearted joke, Jaemin knows. That doesn’t mean the words don’t strike a chord within his chest. He swallows down the words he wants to say, the promises he wants to make. He stays silent because he knows he can’t give Donghyuck the affirmation he’d be overjoyed to hear even though Jaemin is well aware that he’d mean it with all his heart. He can’t choose Donghyuck, not when the fate of his people weighs on his shoulders. 

Jaemin is a prince as much as he is a sacrifice. To give up his life for the kingdom is his duty, one he plans to carry out even if that means letting go of his chance at a future with the one person who made him realize he wanted to have one.

Donghyuck knows this too. And so he wraps his fingers around his clothed elbow, a gesture to reassure Jaemin, to show he understands. “But since you’ve been so kind as to grace this humble witch with your presence on this sweltering day instead of attending to your very important princely duties in the comfort of your well-ventilated office, I’ll at least do this much. And of course, I’ll make your surprise later worth it.” 

“Every second I spend with you is worth it,” he whispers, sincerity dripping from the depths of his heart.

“You’re already gross with all that sweat and now you’re being cheesy? Sickening.” Donghyuck tries to get away with the teasing, his hand already starting to let go until Jaemin’s other arm holds it firmly in place. Neither of them are all that great at pouring out their feelings, preferring to hide behind sometimes scathing bickering or overly exaggerated affection but Jaemin wants at least this to get through to him. Donghyuck deserves that much. 

It’s quiet for a second, both parties holding their breaths, neither really sure of where this is going or what to expect. Strangely enough, it characterizes their whole relationship, sudden and spontaneous and always up in the air. But, as always, even with all the uncertainty surrounding them, they manage to bring it all back down, to somewhere safe and warm and filled with love. 

Donghyuck tugs Jaemin’s arm and presses his forehead against his shoulder, his voice gentle as snuggles closer, “I know. Everything you want to say, everything you feel for me, I know all of it. So stop looking at me like you’re sorry, alright? I’m already as happy as I could possibly be.”

And Jaemin is inclined to believe him.

❊

“Okay, we’re here. Hold on a second, let me just release the spell…”

The darkness that had enveloped Jaemin for the entire trek to wherever the heck they were starts to subside, opening up to reveal his boyfriend whose wide grin betrays his anticipation as he waves his wand around. Jaemin’s the one being surprised but it seems like Donghyuck himself is equally, if not more, excited about whatever he has in store.  _ Cute _ , he thinks.

“So? Do you like the view?” he asks, staring up at Jaemin like a puppy wagging his tail and waiting to be told he’s a good boy. Jaemin groans internally.  _ No, for real, stop being so cute, this is unfair. _

He can hardly stop himself from pinching Donghyuck’s face and cooing, “Yes, the view’s absolutely adorable.”

“That’s not the cute pick-up line you seem to think it is,” the witch manages to say amidst the forced rubbing of his face. “And what did I say about touching me with your sweaty hands!”

Once he manages to shove Jaemin away, he continues to nag at the younger, “Also, you look at my face all the time anyways but you won’t see this very often so you better take a good look.”

Relenting to Donghyuck’s insistence, Jaemin’s eyes scan the scenery in front of him. The alpine landscape lends itself to the majesty of the entire view, the mountain tops meeting the clouds up the sky. Surrounding them is a sea of green that convinces Jaemin that this pocket of land somehow contains all the different shades of that one colour. And perhaps the most impressive is the large lake in the middle of it all, shimmering under the glint of the sun, miniature waves calmly swaying as the warm breeze gently dances across it. He’s seen pictures of such scenes but nothing could have ever prepared him for how breath-taking it could all be in person. All his life, he’s prepared himself to don a heavy crown and sit on the throne, believing it to be the pinnacle of heights, the place from where he would oversee all the land. Never has he been made to feel so small, never had he realized how freeing it would be to experience how much bigger the world could be.

“How is it?”

“It’s beautiful.” He somehow breathes out, overwhelmed by all he’s taken in within the span of a few seconds and yet feeling entirely inadequate to fully describe everything he feels. 

“That’s not all though,” Donghyuck says, pulling him out of his thoughts. “Did you forget? You’re with the genius witch who got his certification at the age of 12, there’s no way I’m not going to spice this up with a little magic.”

“It’s never really a little magic with you though.” Jaemin can’t help but point out, a little suspicion lacing his tone at the prospect of what else the boy has up his sleeve. 

“It’s not my fault that I’m way above the standard.” 

Sometimes, Jaemin thinks that he should teach his boyfriend to be a bit more humble for his own good. Most times, he doesn’t even bother to try because he always manages to prove that rather than being overconfident, he’s just very much aware of the terrifying extent of his own abilities. Now is exactly one of those times.

With the flick of his wrist, a blinding light shoots up from the tip of Donghyuck’s wand like a geyser and all of a sudden, the air completely stills, temperatures dipping.

With Donghyuck at the center, the world around them transforms in ripples. From the vibrant blue sky, snow begins to fall, gently, slowly, little fragments of magic that melt at Jaemin’s fingertips. What was once the rough and muddy ground is blanketed in a soft cover of white with the branches of trees decorated by frost and snow instead of leaves, looking more like huge snowflakes than anything, each one looking like they were carefully designed, intricate and detailed. At Donghyuck’s will, even the lake freezes over, completing their little winter wonderland. 

It astounds Jaemin how Donghyuck manages to one-up himself every time. Not only had he brought Jaemin to see sights in his own country that he never would have known to go looking for on his own, he had also brought winter to a land of eternal summer, giving Jaemin something his country could never offer. 

Before he can even begin to sing his praises, he feels tingles at his feet. Looking down, he realizes that his shoes have changed to skating boots. A glance at Donghyuck’s feet tells him that he’s done the same for himself. The witch chuckles and holds a hand out to him, “Well, it would be a waste to just stand here and stare, no?”

Jaemin doesn’t hesitate to take it.

(At which point he realizes that Donghyuck has cast a spell to put some gloves on him along with a coat and scarf. “You didn’t think I’d change my mind and hold your hand just like that with your sweat probably still drying up, did you?” 

“Thought you just got too swept up in the mood to mind it,” he grumbles, just a little sulky that he doesn’t get to feel the warmth of his boyfriend’s hand.)

❊

Jaemin learns early on that he’s a natural at skating, something he chalks up to the days he’s spent learning ballroom dances with his teacher hounding him to keep his posture straight and his balance stable. He can’t quite say the same for Donghyuck. 

He’s trying to hold in a knowing smirk as the all-mighty witch struggles to so much as stand upright at the corner of the very rink he’s made. He’s been at it since before the sun set. Unfortunately, even in the dark of the night, barely illuminated by the moon and stars, his smugness doesn’t escape the notice of Donghyuck who somehow manages to send a sharp glare his way. “Not. One. Word.” 

But because Jaemin is essentially Donghyuck’s match, he speaks anyway. “You know, for someone who spends so much time flying around on your broom, you seem pretty stuck right now,” adding a pointed look towards the other boy’s clumsy movements. It’s an amusing sight to say the least, it’s not very often that one witnesses Donghyuck utterly failing at something (though Jaemin suspects it’s because he spends extra time away from the eyes of others perfecting whatever it is he’s learning). 

“Just you wait, I’ll be skating circles around you soon enough. I just need to get the hang of- Wh-whoa!” 

Luckily for the flailing Donghyuck, Jaemin secures him with an arm around his waist and a firm grip on one of his hands, just barely keeping him from falling backwards. “Uh-huh, you were saying?”

It might be a little twisted but the prince is of the belief that a sputtering, speechless Donghyuck, unable to arm himself with rock-hard confidence and words that come out like piercing arrows, is the best Donghyuck. This Donghyuck is his and only his, drawn out from each of their battles in the same way the most vulnerable part of himself opens up for Donghyuck alone. But for now, he shows a bit of mercy, happy enough just holding the boy in his arms.

“C’mon, just follow my lead,” he murmurs into his ear before pulling away, just barely enough for the two of them to move comfortably as he smiles at him reassuringly. “You’re not falling on my watch.”

He meets a bit of resistance as he tries to pull Donghyuck along, the older still uneasy on his feet. With a tighter grip on his waist, he manages to get them to inch closer towards the center of the rink, not quite gliding but still an improvement. Jaemin can hardly complain, it just means he can continue feeling Donghyuck cling onto him like he’s his only lifeline. For once, having someone rely on him doesn’t feel like a burden. It’s his greatest honour to be able to have the love of his life and one of the most powerful witches he’s ever met lean on him and trust him so completely.

“Think we can go a little faster?” Donghyuck lets out an impatient huff.

Jaemin raises an eyebrow teasingly, amused by how Donghyuck can think to ask that when he’s the one who had been struggling so much to move at the start. “I don’t know. Can you?”

“Cheeky today, aren’t we?”

“Says the one who’s just getting all comfortable lying on me and letting me do all the work here.”

At that, a spark appears in Donghyuck’s eyes. And Jaemin knows that look well enough to hold his breath and prepare himself. “Well then, I guess I should put in a bit more effort.”

“Hyuck, what exactly are you plan-”

Once again, Donghyuck’s wand makes an appearance and before Jaemin can even finish asking what he’s going to do, his skates that had been clumsily moving across the lake (courtesy of Donghyuck almost tripping him a few times) start feeling lighter on his feet, gliding much more easily. Except not on the ice.

__ Now, Jaemin is no stranger to flying, what with the many times he’s convinced Donghyuck to let him have a go at using his broomstick. But this,  _ this _ is something else. __

Excitement bubbles up as he finds he can skate just as well in the sky as he does on the ground, even with Donghyuck basically attached to his person. They’re soaring at this point, dancing a whimsical routine over the landscape. What makes everything even more magical are the ribbons of light that trace their path, swirling and expanding in a flurry of colours to paint the dark blue sky, their very own canvas. 

Jaemin’s legs might be moving like he was born to do this but his heart feels like it could beat out of his chest, partly from amazement and awe but mostly from the sight of Donghyuck laughing at him. “You have the dumbest expression on your face right now,” he says with the utmost fondness. And Jaemin can’t even find it in himself to take it to heart. Well of course he’d look ridiculous standing next to Donghyuck who looks like the brightest star in the sky. Even in the crinkling of his eyes as he smiles, the jewels in his pupils manage to shine. The constellations that adorn his face adding to the beauty of this celestial being. Donghyuck might be a witch who holds magic in the palm of his hand but Jaemin is starting to think that Donghyuck himself is magic and that somehow he’s found his way into Jaemin’s arms. 

It’s particularly windy up where they are and the force of the gusts of wind destabilize him just as much as the view of Donghyuck’s fluffy hair bouncing up and down. “I suppose it’s my turn to promise that you won’t fall?”

“A little bit too late for that," he says, implying something entirely different.

And in true Donghyuck fashion, he catches on and cups Jaemin’s face, pressing their foreheads together as he whispers, “Good thing we’re falling together then.”

Sometimes, Jaemin gets scared. Before he met Donghyuck, he was sure of what he had to do, what his destiny was. Nothing was truly his own, everything he had was for the taking, his life, his future. And he was okay with that. Now, it’s all jumbled up. Now, he has Donghyuck. Now, he has everything to lose. 

But as uncertain as he is, he knows to hold tightly onto these moments, these fragile snapshots of the wondrous world of magic that Donghyuck has given him. 

Today, as they dance alongside the stars and the multi-coloured lights, the moon bestowing it’s glow upon them like a blessing, Jaemin tucks this little snow globe into the deepest parts of his heart where no one in the world can disturb it. And he prays, that a day will come where he won’t have to anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I did, in fact, have the soundtrack of barbie and the twelve dancing princesses playing in the background as I wrote the ice skating scene. Also, the title is adapted from River by Ben Platt which is just such a lovely song that I highly recommend <3
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading this far, I’d be happy to hear about what you thought about this! I, for one, also want a magical boy to make the weather cold for once over here >.<
> 
> (P.S. They do this a few more times, albeit at a smaller scale cuz this takes a lot of energy out of Donghyuck, and yes, he does eventually manage to skate circles around Jaemin. This Donghyuck is the very best because he works hard to never lose and this goes for pretty much everything.)
> 
> [spanish translation](https://www.wattpad.com/story/251489646-make-me-weak-in-the-knees)
> 
> here's my [twt](https://twitter.com/haethewitch) if you ever want to chat!


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